Sweet and Spicy Sliders with Marrakesh Carrot Salad

This recipe is a delightful combination of beef and lamb with chopped apricots, dates that gives it a Moroccan flare! 

This recipe calls for an ingredient called Harissa; which is most commonly used  in North African cuisines in countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and Algeria.  It is a delicious sauce that adds a depth of flavor and the right amount of spice to your dish.  You can find a variety of Harissa recipes on-line; if you wish to make it homemade, but most specialty stores will carry prepared Harissa.

Sweet and Spicy Slider Burgers


Patties

1 ½ pounds ground beef
½ pound ground lamb
2 ounces dried apricots, diced
2 ounces pitted dried dates, diced
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground fennel
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne
2 teaspoons harissa
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Wheat dinner buns for sliders or regular hamburger buns.
Green lettuce rinsed and dried

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill with a cover, or preheat a gas grill to medium high.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Handling the meat as little as possible to avoid compacting it, mix well. Weigh 3oz of beef mixture to create sliders or 6oz to make a regular hamburger patty.


Brush the grill rack with vegetable oil. Place the patties on the rack, cover, and cook, turning once, until done to preference, about 5 minutes on each side for medium.

During the last few minutes of cooking, place the rolls, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

Marrakesh Carrot Salad

Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated

Combine the lemon juice, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, chile flakes, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine. Add the honey, parsley, olive oil, and carrots and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until assembling the burgers.


To assemble the burgers, drain the carrot salad and squeeze out excess moisture with your hands.  On each roll bottom, place lettuce, a patty, and some carrot salad. Add the roll tops and serve. 

Enjoy!

Little Gem Cupcake Donuts by La Cucina Laurenti

Little Gem Cupcake Donuts

I was in my kitchen thinking about when I was younger with my Grandmother "Mimi" in the kitchen.  I remember how she always loved cakes, chocolate and vanilla glaze.  Indeed, Mimi was a great baker and a cook as well, but her love was chocolate, anything with chocolate!  She stayed fit all her life eating chocolate and cakes and walking several miles daily, even in the rain.  I remember spending summers and winters with her and after we would eat a slice of vanilla chocolate cake, we would put our coats on to walk for miles and chat away.  She had the most delicious Belgium chocolates and she always had a fresh baked cake ready for me to glaze when I walked in the door. Such great memories that I will cherish. She was always so sweet and loving; thanks for the great memories "Mimi". 

So, I decided to play in la cucina and I created these delicious and adorable cupcake donuts.  Not fried, but baked cupcake donuts with a simple cake batter.  I used different sprinkles; chocolate (of course), coconut and a red sugar sprinkle.  These Little Gems are just one bite deliciousness!

Sprinkles; chocolate, red sugar and coconut

Little Gem Cupcake Donuts

Little Gem Cupcake Donuts Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup              cake flour

1/2 cup          rice flour

1/2 cup          organic natural cane sugar

1/8  tsp          cinnamon

dash               nutmeg

1 Tblsp           baking powder

3/4 cup          organic soy milk (vanilla flavored)

1                      whole egg

2 Tblsp           unsalted butter (melted)

One large straw

Preheat oven to 425F

Butter the inside of a mini cupcake pan.

In a mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and mix well.  Add milk, egg and melted butter and mix until well blended.   Fill each cupcake cup 1/2 full.  Bake about 6-8 minutes.  To test touch the cake; if you lightly press on cake and if it springs back, it is done.  Do not brown tops.  Remove from oven and place on cookie cooling rack (keep the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes before you remove them).  Take a large straw and poke through the center of the cupcake to create a whole in the middle. Remove from pan and add glaze, sprinkles or any topping you would like to your Cupcake Donuts.

Variations:

2 Tablespoons of the following to create a different flavor:

Add Belgium Chocolate powder to make chocolate cupcake

Chai Tea instant powder

Green Tea instant powder

Instant Coffee (blend instant coffee in the soy milk)

Vanilla Glaze Frosting

This is the traditional vanila glaze that everyone knows how to make:

1/4 cup butter (melted)

1 1/2 cups    confectioners' sugar

1/2 tsp          vanilla

2-4 tsp         hot water

Mix melted butter, sugar and vanilla and stir together.  Add hot water 1 tsp at a time until frosting consistency.  Stir until smooth and shiny.

Recipe created and tested by Chef Sadie Laurenti Whitley in La Cucina Laurenti - recipe dedicated to my late Grandmother "Mimi".

Buon Appetito!